Here's something to whet the appetite. Missy Elliott has been dabbling with some new recipes and now she's served up her most varied musical menu yet. Mainly it's because the hip-hop superstar has largely dispensed with the services of her longtime producer Timbaland, limiting him to a couple of tracks and drafting in other studio wizards such as Scott Storch and the Neptunes. If the results aren't quite as innovative as Missy's early albums, many of the songs here are up with her best work. A mixture of noisy party tunes and smooth pop grooves, The Cookbook shows off her feisty personality to glorious effect. And with a host of guest stars on display, including Slick Rick, MIA and Mary J Blige, it's clear that most of the music industry is queuing up to dine at her table. As unique and formidable as ever.

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